From Planet Earth
Calendar
Water Towers: Mountains are known as “nature's water
towers”. They store and manage up to 80%
of the world's fresh water. A mountain
collects water from the air by forcing wind upward to its peak. As the air rises, it is cooled and the water
droplets in the air condense turning into snow.
The frozen water is stored until
the warmer seasons when it melts and runs down the mountainside into streams
which are fed into rivers, lakes and eventually oceans. Fresh mountain source
water accounts for almost half of the water that farmers around the world use
to irrigate their crops. Many species of fish rely on this water to survive and
humans are dependent on fresh water for their survival too.
Did You Know?
(From the Canadian
Wildlife Federation 2014 Calendar)
The Ruffled Grouse is a
medium-sized grouse that lives across Canada. They are omniverous and eat buds, leaves and insects. CWF has a program to help Canadians
understand what happens to wildlife in
winter. The Below Zero program
teaches all ages what occurs in freezing temperatures.
Visit CWFEducation.ca
Message from the
Canadian Red Cross...
pictorially presents
us with a chilly still river, hazy skyline
and a gorgeous maple
tree dressed in autumn red.
MADD Fact
Drunk driving costs
every adult in this country almost $500 per year.
Niagara Falls and
Great Gorge
(From Niagara Falls
Canada 2014)
An aerial colour photo of
Canadian Horseshoe Falls and Table Rock gives us close-up of the Niagara River
plunging over the escarpment wall...showing a backdrop of many autumn-hued
trees. The raging Class 6 rapids
twist into the Whirlpool...a unique phenomenon that is best seen from
high above on a suspended Whirlpool Aero Car.
Special Event Days
October 1 (Wednesday)
~ International Day of Older Persons
October 4 (Saturday)
~ Yom Kippur
October 13 (Monday) ~
Thanksgiving Day
October 13 (Monday) ~
Columbus Day (U.S.)
October 16 (Thursday)
~ World Food Day
October 23 (Thursday)
~ American Thanksgiving Day
October 24 (Friday) ~
United Nations Day
October 27 (Monday) ~
Municipal Elections Day
October 31 (Friday) ~
Hallowe'en
Flower and Garden
Philosophy
When words escape,
flowers speak. (Bruce W. Carrie)
Trivia Tidings
Braying Donkey: There is a donkey in Brussels, Belgium named
Lola that became famous for more than one reason. Lola was part of the cast of a play called The
Palestinian which was being staged at a local cultural center and the
audience loved her. However, during the
play, Lola lived on the first floor
balcony of an apartment building...an unconventional place for a donkey.
Unfortunately, the neighbours did not
applaud her constant braying. Her keeper
and the cultural center's director had to find a new temporary home for the
animal actress until the play ended its run.
Sandy Place: The Sahara
Desert, located in northern Africa, takes up nearly 10% of the continent. About 25% of the Sahara is made up of sand
dunes that can reach as high as 180 meters (590 feet).
October Musings
October
Resignation
Listen! The wind is rising and the air is wild with
leaves.
We have had our
summer evenings ~ now for October eves.
(Humbert Wolfe)
After the keen
still days of September
the October sun
filled the world with mellow warmth:
the maple tree in
front of the doorstep burned like a gigantic red bush;
the walks along
the roadway glowed yellow and bronze;
the fields
stretched like a carpet of jewels...emeralds, topaz and garnet;
everywhere she
walked, the colour shouted and sang around her.
In October, any
wonderful unexpected thing might be possible.
(Elizabeth George
Speare)
Autumn Leaves
The music paired with these lyrics has long been a favourite. One morning I heard a new rendition on my car radio and suddenly I was
aware of the sad but beautiful message within this blending of voice and
musical ensemble of Duke Ellington's Indigos. Sung by Ozzie Bailey
in both French and English, it brought tears to my eyes as he bemoans his lost
love on this October day.
The falling leaves
drift by my window
The falling leaves
of red and gold.
I see your lips;
the summer kisses
The sunburned
hands I used to hold.
Since you went
away the days grow long
And soon I'll hear
old Winter's song.
But I miss you
most, my Darling
When autumn leaves
start to fall.
In the Mutts
Cartoons, Earl and Mooch pleasantly sit, leaning against a sturdy tree
trunk. As a leaf from this mighty oak
softly floats to the ground, Earl muses...
“Every leaf speaks bliss to me, fluttering from the autumn tree.” (words by Emily Bronte)
“Every leaf speaks bliss to me, fluttering from the autumn tree.” (words by Emily Bronte)
Merle
Baird-Kerr...written September 2014
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